The Eternal Roots / الجذور الأبدية (Aljozour Alabadia)
Mahmoud Salameh
2026, Palestine, Australia, 8.28min
Across generations shaped by loss and resistance, a single olive tree bears witness to the enduring bond between land, memory, and survival.
Language: Arabic
Recommended for children under 14 years of age: Yes
Technique: 2D animation
Short Synopsis:
The Eternal Roots is a silent animated film by Mahmoud Salameh that traces the life of a Palestinian family through the symbolism of an olive tree passed from one generation to the next. Set against the backdrop of the separation wall, the story unfolds through moments of tenderness, grief, defiance, and renewal, as one family’s connection to their land endures despite forces determined to uproot it. Blending memory, myth, and political reality, the film uses recurring visual motifs — the olive branch, the Palestinian sunbird, and the earth itself — to explore inheritance, identity, displacement, and resilience across generations.
Director’s Note:
‘The Eternal Roots’ follows the story of a mother and her child bearing witness to the atrocities actively being committed on their homeland. Through symbolism and connective motifs such as the Palestinian sunbird and the olive tree, the film unites the mother and her people as a collective across past, present, and future.
Team:
Written & Directed: Mahmoud Salameh
Background: Ashraf Alassadi
Character Design & Animation: Mahmoud Salameh
Editing: Louay Mohsen
Sound Design: Mahmoud Hamedah
Music Score: Firas Chatila
Voice Over: Ahmed Kaabour
Musicians: Kanoun: Iman Homsi, Oud: Ali Khatib
Studio: Joe Baroutjian
Stills:
